Katukinan languages

Katukinan (Catuquinan) is a language family consisting of two languages in Brazil, Katukina-Kanamarí and the perhaps moribund Katawixi. It's often not clear which names in the literature, which are generally tribal names and often correspond to dialects, refer to distinct languages. Indeed, they're close enough that some consider them all to be dialects of a single language, Kanamari (Fabre 2005).

Campbell & Grondona (2012) note that Adelaar "presents reasonably persuasive evidence that Harákmbut and Katukinan are genetically related."

Languages and dialects

The common suffix dyapa, djapa means 'tribe' or 'clan', for which the varieties are named. Fabre (2005) lists Kanamarí, Txuhuã-djapá, Katukína do Jutaí (Katukina proper), and Katawixi as four attested languages.

A large number of Katukinan dialects have gone extinct. Loukotka (1968) illustrates data from Catuquina (Wiri-dyapá, of the Jutaí River), Canamari, Parawa (Hon-dyapa), Bendiapa, and Catauxi (Catosé, Hewadie, Katawishi, Quatausi). Canamari, Parawa, and Bendiapa (Beñ-Dyapá) may constitute a single language, as may Tucundiapa (Mangeroma, Tucano Dyapa). He also notes a Tawari (Tauaré, Kadekili-dyapa, Kayarára), and a Buruá (Burue, Buruhe), of which nothing has been recorded.

Mason (1950) gives Pidá-Dyapá and Kutiá-Dyapá as dialects of Catukina, and Cadekili-Dyapá and Wadyo-Paraniñ-Dyapá (Kairara) as dialects of Tawari, corresponding to Loukotka's names Kadekili-dyapa and Kayarára. He adds Catukino and a "miscellaneous" list of Amena-Dyapá, Cana-Dyapá, Hon-Dyapá (which Loukotka identifies with Parawa), Marö-Dyapá, Ururu-Dyapá, and Wiri-Dyapá (which Loukotka identifies with Catuquina).

Many ethnic Katukina had shifted to other languages by the time of European contact. Examples are Panoan Katukina and unclassified Katukinaru.

See also

• Macro-Puinavean

References

• Alain Fabre, 2005, Diccionario etnolingüístico y guía bibliográfica de los pueblos indígenas sudamericanos: KATUKINA